Color picture



July 21, 1942` l w. G. H. FlNcl'H 2,290,228

COLOR. PICTURE I.

Original Filed April v24, 1957 AMPLIFIER Figs Patented July 2l, 1942 COLOR. PICTURE William G. Finch, Newton, Gonn- Original application April 24, 1937, Serial No. 138,683. Divided and this application April 27, 1938, Serial No. 204,496

invention relates to novel colored pictures and more particularly relates to novel methods of composing multilayer colored pictures to eliminate distortions. This case is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 138,683 filed April 24, 1937, now Patent No. 2,177,247 of October 24, 1939, Y

Telepicture systems have comevinto rather extensive use for rapid transmission of pictures between widely separated oices of a newspaper chain. The electrical transmission of pictures has been commercially restricted to the black and white types due to the extreme precautions heretofore necessary in the transmission of colored simile transmission will not operate to distort the final superposed colored facsimile. In accordance with my present invention, the three A colored picture may be resolved However, any misalignment or other in.

present invention bear very iine detail, and substantially all traces of streaks and` the scanning lines which make up the picture are toned out so as to be unnoticeable. A small three-dimensional eiect occursin the iinal colored picture due in -some extent, to .the superposition of the three translucent colored prints to form a substantial thickness. The ne detail of the colored facsimile permits enlargement thereof to a much. greater extent as compared to ordinary black-white facsimiles, since scanning lines and extraneous marks are rendered unnoticeable.

. Newspaper services are enabled by my present invention to economically transmit to remotely scattered plants of their organization comic strips, colored advertisements and colored feature supplementsV for newspapers, .colored copy for magazines, and for other purposes. The transmission of such pictures may be readily carried out over a telephone line without physical black-white facsimile systems. The three colg ored prints composing the colored picture may be prints are arranged parallel to each other upon a single record sheet and the prints are scanned transverse to their parallel arrangement so'that similar portionsof the picture are simultaneously scanned.

Any variations in the speedor alignment of the. receiver with respect to the transmitter, or

any phase displacement or `distortion which might occur therebetween, is practically simultaneously induced in the three prints to an equal provide a novel colored picture with relatively.v

degree.` Thus, when the printsare superposed,

tion of the three primary color prints, irrespecf tive of any practical Variations in their transmis-L:

received directly upon the sensitive film or may be directly engraved upon printing plates for the presses as will be hereinafter fully described.

It 'is accordingly an object of my present invention to provide novel colored photographs.

Another object of my present invention is to provide a novel method for preparing the primary color separation prints for a colored picture. .Y

A further object ofjmy present invention is to great detail, freefrom streaks and distortions inherent in commercial facsimile transmission thereof, I

These and other objects of my present invention willbecome apparent in the following de- 40 scription taken in connection with the drawing, in which:

Figure 1 illustrates my preferred arrangement of the three primary color prints upon a record sheet for transmission.

Figure 2 is a plan view of a preferred telepicture transmitter for transmitting the colored picture over a telephone system.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the picture receiver corresponding to Figure 2.-

Figures i-a'nd 5 are illustrations of portions of ''f Vthe received prints used for describing my pression. as will be hereinafter described in more The colored reproductions produced by' my ent invention.

Figure @illustrates the superposition of the three color separation prints to form the nal colored picture.

three individual monochrome prints correspond? ing to the three primary colors, red, blue and yellow. The prints corresponding to the pri-v mary colors may be prepared by conventional color photography methods. A photograph of still-life may be made by taking three successive photographs of the scene using correspondingly colored light filters to produce the primary colored prints. For action scenes, a single-exposure camera employing reflecting mirrors is used to simultaneously snap the three primary colored prints. The color filter used for each individual primary color print absorbs all the color components of the light except light of the color to be printed. Thus, for example, in producing the photograph corresponding to the red shades of the picture, a green lter is used; for the blue shades, an orange lter; and for the yellow shades, a violet filter. My present invention may be employed for still or action pictures and is concerned with the faithful electrical transmission and reproduction of the corresponding primary color prints to remote points. The primary color prints are made upon photographic lfilm, resulting in a black-white negative in each instance. The light which reaches the Jfilm during exposure is the ltered light which affects the emulsion onthe lm to a degree proportional to the intensity of the particular color passing through the lter. A colored scene or photograph is composed of varying amounts of the primary colors. The original brilliant color of the photograph is reproduced by suitably preparing and arranging the primary color prints. It is to be understood that the individual primary color prints are merely black-white counterparts of the respective colors and bearing the relative intensities of these colors. c y

In accordance with my present invention, the original black-white counterparts of the primary color prints are transmitted by telepicture apparatus for reproduction at a remote point. The black-white pictures are then resolved to their original color and shading, in a manner to be described, to reproduce the colored picture. It is necessary to obtain accurate superposition of the three primary prints in order to produce a quality reproduction. otherwise colored streaks and color distortions will be evident. My present invention is directed to the elimination of inaccuracies which might occur during electrical transmission of the associated primary or color A separation prints.

An important feature of my present invention resides in the positioning of the three colorseparation prints for transmission and reception in a particularmanner so as to eliminate variations in picture transmission. The trans- 4mission variations do not materially affect the Y are arranged so that their axes II, I2 and 7l I3 are all substantially parallel for reasons to be hereinafter set forth.

The color separation prints B, R and Y are prepared from the monochrome or black-white negatives resulting from the original color separation photography procedure. The B, R and Y prints of my preferred embodiment are positives of the original negatives. Although the B, R and Y positive prints may be individually prepared and secured to a common backing sheet, I prefer to print them directly on sheet I0 in the parallel arrangement referred to. Sheetl I0 accordingly contains the three prints B, R and Y, arranged in parallel one beneath the other. The prints are the black-white coun terparts of the respective tones or intensity values of the primary colors blue, red and yellow making up the original picture colors. The illustrated scene shows three adjacent mountain peaks with the sun I4 in the background. The general outline of the picture usually appears in all three prints, but the relative shading in the different portions of the prints varies Yin accordance with the elemental coloring in the original print.

In practising my invention the B, R and Y prints are not arranged in perfect vertical alignment as the illustration in Figure 1 shows. The sun It, for example, is not vertically aligned in the three prints. Any point of the picture is preferably not horizontally `displaced more'than one-half inch or an inch lwith respect to the correspondingvpoint in the other of the B, R and Y prints for reasons to be hereinafter set forth. However, it is important to maintain the horizontal axes of the prints more or less accurately parallel. By the horizontal axis I mean an axis such as I2 or I3 which may be drawn through corresponding portions of the B, R and Y prints arranged one above the other. 'Ihe axis referred to corresponds to some imaginary line drawn through the same portions of each of the B, R and Y prints, which line is parallel with respect to the other when the prints are placed one above the other on sheet I 0.

Sheet I0 containing the color separation prints B, R and Y is mounted upon the drum I5 of the telepicture transmitter I6 shown in Figure 2. I prefer to electrically transmit a facsimile of sheet I0 by a system such as disclosed inmy co-pending application Serial No. 128,920, filed March 4, 1937. However, it will be evident that other facsimile transmission and reception mechanisms can b e used to, in effect, relay the B, R and Y black-white color separation prints toy the receiver station. Details of the transmitter- I6 and the preferred method of signalling across a telephone network is disclosed in my Patent No. 2,047,863 of July 14, 1936, entitled "Telecommunication systems."

The transmitter I E is powered by a synchronous motor I1 energized fram an alternating current line at leads I8. Drum I5 is rotated, preferably at |00 revolutions a minute, through reduction gearing |20. Drum I5 is removably mounted on the transmitter mechanism and contains sheet mounting clamps 2| at a predetermined portion thereof for fastening the record sheet I0. An electrooptical scanner 22 is moved along tracks 2'3-23 arranged parallel to the axis of the drum by means of a feed screw 24 geared to reduction gearing 20. Electrooptical scanning carriage 22 is preferably moved at the rate of one inch-per minute so as to scan the record sheet I0 one hundred lines per inch.

The scanning lines schematically shown at 25 form a continuous helix about the cylindrically arranged sheet l0. Scanning lines 25 are shown withexaggerated width for illustration purposes'. The transverse angle of the scanning lines 25 corresponds to the helical lead angle of scanning. The width of the scanned lines are preferably .0l inch in the present example.

The electrooptical scanner at 22 contains a photoelectric cell which generates electrical currents varying in intensity in accordance withthe shading of the elemental print areas upon the record sheet ID. The signals are conducted along cable 26 to an electronicamplifier 21.- A carrier wave or audio frequency tone generated at the amplifier unit 21 is modulated in accordance with the picture currents generated at the scanner 22 in a manner described in my Patent No. 2,047,863 hereinabove referred to. The amplified picture modulated carrier current is passed through a coupling solenoid 28 which is placed coaxially with the induction coil 30 within the phone box 3| ,of -the telephone station at the transmitter. A telephone connection is established between the telephone station 32 at the transmitter and the corresponding telephone station 33 at the receiver across the interconnecting telephone wires 32,

When the telephones 32 and 33 are in operative connection, the picture signals are electromagnetically induced into the telephone line 3l@ across the induction coil. These currents flow through the induction coil 35 at the receiving station shown in Figure 3, and are picked-up by the pick-up solenoid 36 of the facsimile receiver unit 3i. The picture signals picked-up by solenoid 36 are introduced to the receiver amplifier 38 for amplification and connection to the elec.

jected upon the light sensitive record sheet M.

mounted upon the receiver drum i2 rotated in synchronism with the transmitter drum I5.

The design of the telepicture receiver 3i corresponds to that of the transmitter unit IB, and

is driven by, motor d3 at the predetermined speed of motor il. As disclosed in my application Serial No. 128,920 referred to above, the receiver tive arrangement as transmitted.v The inclined scanning lines 45 are drawn upon the sheet of Figure 4 to more clearly illustra-te my present invention. In actual practice, these lines are not distinct but' blend with the picture since the lines are contiguous to form a continuous reproduction. The scanning lines 45 are parallel and form an angle with the vertical axis of sheet 4I equal to the helical lead angle of scanning already referred to. With perfect synchronous reception of the triple-print facsimile,

Figure l. i

drum 62 is continuously rotated by the motor @63 which 'is maintained substantially close to the predetermined synchronous speed by a governing mechanism such as a mechanical governor M attached to it. The receiver scanner dil is driven parallel to the axis of drum 62 and records-on sheet lll along a helical scanning line V135 similar to the scanning line 25 generated at the transmitter. The scanning line 45 will be inclined at a small angle to the axis of the record sheet 4I 4equal to the helical advance of the scanner lll upon the rotating drum E2 as will be Ievident to those skilled 1n the art. The fac- The colored picture reproduction is prepared by using a gelatin or other conventional transparent sensitive film 4I and creating the corresponding light and dark areas on the film corresponding to the transmitting shade variations of the original positives (or negatives) B, R and'Y. The received prints B', R and Y' are in the form of positives upon translucent or transy parent film 4I. After the film 4i is developed, it is bleached in a conventional manner. The B', R' and Y portions of the film are severed and -represent the blue, red and 'yellow portions of the picture. In order to compose the final colored facsimile, it is nownecessary to d'ye or tone the individual prints to their proper color. The blue, red and yellow prints are identified in some predetermined manner such as by their location on the sheet M or by an obvious mark upon each individual print.

The tinting or coloring of the individual prints to blue, red or yellow may be performed by dyeing the bleached lms with an' aniline dye or by toning them with metallic salt solutions which combine with the silver retained in the print in a manner well known in the photographic art. Toning the film brings out the high lights of the nal picture in -a better manner than the dyeing process does. 'I'he monochrome colored E', R' and Y] prints are then superimposed to form an integral final picture.

The superposition ofthe prints must be4 accurately performed so that like portions of each print fall above each other. yThe order of the color arrangement is not important in the superpositioning.v In Figure 5, the portions of the B', R' and Y prints are successively aligned vertically to indicate the manner in which they are to be superimposed. The sun M for example is seen to lie along a straight line as are the other portions of the prints. The scanning lines 5 of exaggerated width for illustration, is seen to be parallel in the three prints. However, it is of B'. R.' and Y' prints are not aligned but intersect so that superposition will cause overlapping between the edges and central portions of the scanning regions or lines 45. This factor causes the effective elimination of possible streaks in the final picture. I

, In Figure 6 I illustrate a preferred manner for preparing the fin'al colored photograph by the three color prints. The tinted or toned blue, red and yellow'films B', R' and Y' are accurately superimposed one above the other and unen la white backing sheet 4B with transparent adhesive material. The superposition of the films is such as to match the outline of the picture with corresponding portions falling yin line. The scan- .important to note, that the scanning lines .25,v v

ning lines 45 on the respective prints have been drawn in to illustrate the advantages of my present invention. The scanning region lines 45 on the Y print correspond to the lines already described in connection with Figures 4 and 5. The illustration shows the R' print positioned above the Y print. The scanning lines 45a at the overlapping region of R and Y appear more dense since the borders of the scanning lines overlap. Similarly, the scanning line region i5b illustrating the superposition of the three prints B', R and Y' is more dense since the outline of the scanning lines 45 overlap as will now be evident.

It will be noted that due to the original horizontal disposition of the three color prints on transmitter sheet I0, all scanning lines are substantially parallel and normally overlap on superposition. The colors viewed beneath the B' portion of the picture of Figure 6 contains the original coloring of the photograph since the three tinted translucent lms B', R' and Y' are viewed above the white backing sheet 46 and combine to produce the original elemental coloring at each portion of the picture. The overlapping of the scanning lines at 135b evens out or tones the nal image so as to effectively dissolve or cause any possible outline of the individual scanning lines which may be apparent in an individual print to disappear in the inal color print.

In the transmission of pictures over a telephone line, there sometimes occurs a bright or dark streak across the picture, which streak is referred to as a line-noise mark. This may be due to contact clicking or to some extraneous' signal impressed upon the line for a short interval. Such a mark occurring upon an ordinary black-white picture reproductionwould appear as a denitely visible streak on the picture and interfere with its quality. s The nal color picture of my present invention is, however, produced by the superpositioning of three individual prints.'

as "gear noise" and the like will be toned `out in the' final color pictures. The parallel alignment of the scanning'lines 45 in the final print accordmgly produces a homogeneous and smooth color reproduction which toneszout or eii'ectively dissolves possible streakiness or latticed scanning line appearance of the picture to produce a facsimile of ine detail and pleasant appearance.

An important advantage of the relatively high detail colored reproduction having its scanning lines, streaks, marks and other' minor faults which creep in in practical picture transmission toned out, is that the color reproduction may be enlarged as much as threeor four-to-cne and still retain the pleasing appearance of a quality picture. The enlargement of the colored picture is performed by photographically enlarging in a conventionalmanner each of the B',' R' and Y prints as they are produced upon the nlm 4| in Figure 4. The enlarged black-white prints are bleached and then dyed or tinted in the manner already described.

The receiving apparatus 31 is maintained in substantial synchronism with the transmitter -I by the governor 44. However, a slight diierence in synchronism between the transmitter and receiver will cause a progressive phase shift in the reproduction and produce the result illustrated in Figure 7. The axes Il', I2' and I3' of the prints are no longer Parallel to the record sheet 4l but are at an angle thereto. The dotted line 41 near the edge of the sheet 4|' illustrates the progressive phase shift of each line of scanning from left to the right side of the sheet due to the difference in scanning speed at the receiver from that at the transmitter. This phenomenon is described in detail in my co-pending application Serial No. 128,920 referred to hereinabove.

IAn important result is that the axes ll', l2' and I3 and corresponding -portions of the prints B", R" and Y remain parallel to each other. The prints of sheet 4I" are accordingly progressively displaced in correspondence with the phase shifting operation. The shifting of the axes and phasing line 41 is slightly exaggerated for illustrative purposes but in a practical arrangement is not more 4than about seven degrees. The practical advantage of maintaining the -prints aligned in parallel arrangement is that similar portions of the prints are correspondingly displaced.

Accordingly, distortions `due to progressive phase shifting of the receiver does not impair the quality of the color reproduction since the three prints are substantially equally distorted. It is not essential to align the images vertically as well as horizontally. Thus. the sun I4 need not be in vertical alignment but be within an inch or halfinch of such alignment. The progressive phase shifting is more or less gradual and therefore an alignment within' the order of an inch will still permit accurate superposltionzof the printsfor the final picture result. The parallel arrange ment of the prints as described in connection with Figure 1 accordingly serves the purpose of keeping similar portions of the picture in exact correspondence with any vag'aries of synchronism, hunting, phase sluiting and the like since the similar portions of the picture are alected in like manner.` In most practical systems, any such change is more or less gradual so that it is not necessary to 4perfectly align the prints vertically but practical variation in this respect is perf missible.v t

In accordance with my present invention, co1- ored photographs of-any character and particularly colored pictures for newspaper work where economical transmission to different units of a newspaper chain is important, may be carried out with ordinary .black-white picture apparatus. Colored pictures for comic sections of newspapers. for special feature sections, for advertisements, for magazines and the like.- can all be `economically transmitted with such apparatus without requiring special .precautions to avoid inherent commercial distortions. The received triple print facsimile may be used for the photolithographie processaccompanying printing operation. It is also feasible to directly engrave the triple print records upon a zinc or other metallic platefor printing. Variations and modii'lcations of my present invention will be evident to those skilled in the art, and accordingly I do not intend to be limited except as set forth in the following claims.

- What I claim is:

1. A color picture comprising a plurality of translucent layers of different colors, a lsimilar 'record on each layer, each record being composed of contiguous parallel strips each continubeing correspondingly superimposed upon each other with said parallel layers being superimposed in tone, the strips of each record parallel, said layers being ous'ly` varying strips parallel to each other, said parallel strips in each of the layers being staggered transversely with respect to the parallel strips in each of the other layers in the completed picture.

2. A color picture comprising a plurality of translucent layers of different primary colors, a similar record on each layer, each recordl being composed of contiguous narrow parallel regions ,'ea'ch continuously varying in tone, the regions of each record being correspondingly parallel, said upon each other with said parallel regions parallel toeach other, said parallel regions in each of the layers being staggered transversely with lrespect to the parallel strips in each of the other layers in the completed Y picture whereby streaks and distortions in the respective layers are toned out.

` '3. A-color picture comprising a plurality of translucent layers of different colors, a similar record on each layer, each-record being com# posed of contiguous parallel regions, the regions of each record being correspondingly parallel, one of said 'records being progressively distorted with respect to an 'ainsf thereof to an unprede tei-minable degree, each or said other/records be-V ing distorted in the same manner to .the same degree, said layers Abeingsuperimposeci upon each other with said parallel regions parallel other.

4. A color picture comprising a plurality of translucent'layers of different colors, a similar record on each layer, each record being composed offcontiguous narrow parallel regions, the

to each regions of each record being correspondingly parallel, one of said records being progressively distorted with respect to an' axis thereof to an un- -predeterxninable degree, each of said other records being distorted lin the same manner to the same degree, said layers being superimposed upon each other with said parallel regions parallel to each other, said parallel regions overlapping yin -the completed picturewhereby streaks and disbeing correspondingly 

